The previous day, Lisa, Lonny, Jim, and I tried climbing Mt. Princeton (a few miles south) and was turned back by foul weather. This morning was cooler, but far clearer. We met Shari, Brad and Tracy at the trailhead, and Jim declined to join us for this hike. The temperature was in the mid 30's most of the morning, but the sunshine (and gruelling hike) kept us warm.

Tracy, Shari, Lonny, and Brad (nearly falling over) crossing a stream Brian, hiking through aspens Looking southward from the trail Brad and Tracy, ascending towards the summit Shari and Brad cresting a burm Brian, Brad, Lonny, and Lisa Ice Mountain, surrounded by clouds Antero and Shavano in the distance Shari and Tracy climbing up a steep section of trail Well, actually all of the trail was steep...Clouds enveloping us Brad, looking up towards the saddle Brad, ascending through the clouds Lisa, reaching the saddle Scrambling up towards the summit Ice crystals on a rock ...but is it art?Tracy, and her new friend from Chicago Brian and Shari, scrambling Finally reaching the summit Lisa, reaching the summit of Mt. Yale Tracy, receiving her birthday cookies on the summit Brad and Shari, with Harvard and Columbia in the backdrop Lisa, Lonny, Shari, Brad, Brian, and Tracy on the summit Lisa and Brian (with Harvard and Columbia in the backdrop) Lonny, pointing to the trailhead Downclimbing off the summit Lonny and Shari Tracy and Brian Shari watching as Lonny and Brad build a snowman Lonny and Brad building a snowman Brad and Lonny's snowman (snow-cairn?) Back on dry land Brad and Shari The storm catches up to us at treeline A curious squirrel Brian, taking a break on the descent Tracy, crossing the log bridge The "pink" ladies: Lisa, Tracy, and Shari Tracy, enjoying her celebratory beer and cookies! Tracy's birthday cookies, enjoyed back at the trailhead (after being hauled all the way up the mountain) We sang Happy Birthday to Tracy on the summit and gave her the cookies, but a storm was imminent, so we descended quickly to beat it. We didn"t get a chance to stop and enjoy the cookies till we were all the way down!It's Beer o'clock! Tracy, Shari, Lonny, and Brad (nearly falling over) crossing a stream Brian, hiking through aspens Looking southward from the trail Brad and Tracy, ascending towards the summit Shari and Brad cresting a burm Brian, Brad, Lonny, and Lisa Ice Mountain, surrounded by clouds Antero and Shavano in the distance Shari and Tracy climbing up a steep section of trail Clouds enveloping us Brad, looking up towards the saddle Brad, ascending through the clouds Lisa, reaching the saddle Scrambling up towards the summit Ice crystals on a rock Tracy, and her new friend from Chicago Brian and Shari, scrambling Finally reaching the summit Lisa, reaching the summit of Mt. Yale Tracy, receiving her birthday cookies on the summit Brad and Shari, with Harvard and Columbia in the backdrop Lisa, Lonny, Shari, Brad, Brian, and Tracy on the summit Lisa and Brian (with Harvard and Columbia in the backdrop) Lonny, pointing to the trailhead Downclimbing off the summit Lonny and Shari Tracy and Brian Shari watching as Lonny and Brad build a snowman Lonny and Brad building a snowman Brad and Lonny's snowman (snow-cairn?) Back on dry land Brad and Shari The storm catches up to us at treeline A curious squirrel Brian, taking a break on the descent Tracy, crossing the log bridge The "pink" ladies: Lisa, Tracy, and Shari Tracy, enjoying her celebratory beer and cookies! Tracy's birthday cookies, enjoyed back at the trailhead (after being hauled all the way up the mountain) It's Beer o'clock!